Makeup tips for heart-shaped faces

Kori Ellis is an editor and writer based in San Antonio, TX, where she lives with her husband and four children. At SheKnows, she writes about parenting, fashion, beauty and other lifestyle topics. Additionally, Kori has been published i...

Best makeup for a heart-shaped face

Contouring a heart-shaped face

Contouring makeup uses highlighting to bring certain features forward and uses shading to make other features appear to recede. If you have a heart-shaped face, your goal is to downplay your prominent cheekbones and pointy chin.

1

Shade and soften

For shading, use a stick foundation that's a shade or two darker than your natural skin tone. Apply it under your cheekbones and blend it from your ear downward at an angle. Also apply the product at your temples, along the sides of your nose and under its tip — again blending downward.

"Like oval faces, the heart-shaped face has high cheekbones, which I think is a beautiful feature to have," says New York makeup artist Jessica Lauren. "The only thing I would say is to avoid too much blush because that area of the face is already pronounced."

2

Round out your chin

For highlighting, use foundation that is a shade or two lighter than your normal foundation. Apply the product in the center of your forehead and above your cheekbones. Next, you can add depth and width to the chin area with contouring makeup. Apply the highlighter (or light concealer) lengthwise on the chin and along your jawline and blend with a sponge. This will broaden the appearance of your chin and make it appear a little rounder.

3

Go for a natural brow

With a heart-shaped face, eyebrows should be thick with a natural arch that is relatively straight. This will help the forehead appear a little bit thinner and balance out the face's shape.